Thinking Of A Swim In An Area Lake? Think Again

September 5, 1992|By Mary Beth Regan Of The Sentinel Staff

A man recently jumped into Orlando's Lake Eola and started swimming toward the fountain at the lake's center.

Bad idea.

Beneath the fountain, a 3,000-pound pump sucks up water and shoots it as high as 60 feet in the air. It could easily pull under even the strongest swimmer, said Ron Barna, park manager at downtown's Eola Park.

But that's not the only problem with swimming in that lake. The man was sent home with a warning that most of Orlando's lakes are not suitable for swimming, largely because the water may be too dirty.

''Anybody who would want to swim in the lake would need to have their head examined,'' Barna said of Lake Eola. ''It drains runoff water from a 10-block area downtown.''

The oil, grease and grime from streets are swept into the lakes. This dirty water can cause infections in people's eyes, ears or open wounds if they swim in some lakes, county health officials said.

Orange and Seminole county health officials said it would be nearly impossible to test the water in the hundreds of freshwater lakes that dot the two counties.

In Orange County, officials have designated a few ''bathing beaches'' that are tested to make sure the water is safe.

Orange tests 70 freshwater lakes everyfew months and posts signs if the water is too polluted. County health officials patrol nine lakes or freshwater springs, ranging from Wekiwa Springs at the Wekiwa Springs State Park to Dinky Dock on the north side of Lake Virginia in Winter Park.

Seminole County also tests some of its waters. Rick Salemi, the county's sanitation and safety supervisor, said county officials do not allow swimming because there are no lifeguards on duty.